General Assembly elects 18 members to Human Rights Council

The 47-member Council, created in 2006, is an inter-governmental body responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.

It meets in Geneva to address situations of human rights violations and make recommendations.

The representative of the United States Ambassador Susan Rice whose country has been re-elected to the Council for another term, says Washington decided in 2009 to participate in order to be at the forefront in promoting human rights.

"The United States is pleased and proud to have been re-elected for a second three-year term to the Human Rights Council. Four years ago we took the decision that we could improve the work of the Human Rights by working within it rather than staying on the outside. And today, the international community reaffirmed that it agrees with that judgment."

(Duration: 22")

The other members of the Council elected are: Argentina, Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Montenegro, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.